Using lambda expression to get values in an array

Question

Alright, here's the deal. I am doing a data conversion where I'm taking data from two databases and putting it into another. I'm adding a list of contacts, and then I'm adding a list of communication records. In order to simplify the process, I made a small array of all of the communication records with the household address of the contacts. Now I'm trying to use a lambda expression to sort out email addresses from the array, but I'm having a problem. The code so far is as follows:

            DataRow[] Comms = dtComms.Select("household_id = " + previousID);

            if (Comms.Where(x => x.Field<string>("communication_type") == "Home Phone").Count() > 0)
            {
                string HomePhone = rNDigits.Replace(Comms[0].Field<string>("communication_value").ToString().Trim(), "");
                if (HomePhone.Length > 6)
                    oAddress._Phone = HomePhone;
            }
            if (Comms.Where(x => x.Field<string>("communication_type") == "Email").Count() > 0)
            {
                string FamilyEmail = rNDigits.Replace(Comms[0].Field<string>("communication_value").ToString().Trim(), "");
                if (FamilyEmail.Contains('@') && FamilyEmail.Contains('.'))
                    oAddress._FamilyEmail = FamilyEmail;
            }

The problem is that obviously, this always will return the first value in the array, which might not always be the one that I want. How can I change the code so that it selects only the value from the array that matches the entry containing the email? Or, is there a better way to search through values in an array?

Specifically, I want to know what I'm supposed to replace `(Comms[0].Field...` with. — ijb109, Sep 17 '12 at 19:04

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 17 '12 at 19:03

2

I suggesting to use a simple for or foreach loop in this case, LINQ can't modify data only select it.

answered Sep 17 '12 at 19:03

MichaelT

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`foreach` makes more sense than `for` for most LINQ queries. Additionally it's not so much that it "can't" as it "shouldn't". – Servy Sep 17 '12 at 19:10
Yes you right about shouldn't. It can but in not straight forward way – MichaelT Sep 17 '12 at 19:12
Alright, looks like I'm going to rewrite a `foreach` loop in place of the LINQ query. Thanks, guys. – ijb109 Sep 17 '12 at 19:14
LINQ can modify data, see: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/807797/linq-select-an-object-and-change-some-properties-without-creating-a-new-object. – Ian Dallas Sep 17 '12 at 19:16
I had to wait till the time was up :) – ijb109 Sep 17 '12 at 19:16

Using lambda expression to get values in an array

1 Answers1